Start to Windy Ridge (Mile 29)
I always get nervous and this was no different. Where do I line up? How hard do I go out? Am I carrying enough hydration? The questions and anxiety stream through my mind as the hours, minutes and then seconds click down to the start. I wish I could just fast forward the race to where things spread out and people settle in. That place where you feel like you are just out for a big day(s) in the mountains with some support, that is my comfort zone.
I know that 200 miles races aren’t won in the first sections, but rather lost. I tried to run comfortably, but not lollygag. Wooded single track as we started climbing up historic Mount Saint Helens gave way to boulder fields and I found myself with Sally McRae and Mika Thewes. The boulders took some focus as I tried to stay on course and
stay upright. I was wearing the newly
Photo Credit: Jason Peters (JDP)
released Salomon Thundercross, which proved to be a great shoe choice for the mixed terrain of this section. The sun was starting to feel a bit warm and I was out of water. I stopped to filter from a silty stream, as did Sally while Mika continued on. My filter immediately failed building with silt. I tried to backflush it and start over and was able to manage a few sips out of it before I gave up and moved on.
Frustration set in. It was too early for what I considered to be a sizable hiccup. I tried to focus on what I could control. Within a short period, I came to the water oasis which had very cold and what I hoped to be clean running water. I filled my pack straight from the source and crossed my fingers that I wouldn't end up with a parasite. I also attempted to back flush my filter in hopes that next time I went to filter it would work.
Now with a full pack the boulder fields and sandy sections soon turned into tree covered single track again and now we were headed downhill. I made quick work and passed several people on the beautiful trail.
Photo Credit: Jason Peters (JDP)
I felt like I was finding my stride and rhythm and was now alone able to dictate my pace, stride and flow. For a few minutes I felt confident, then I got passed like I was standing still. Sally went flying by me while yelling her trademark “Let’s Go!” Yeah, let’s go! I picked up my pace and tried to match her speed. We fell into conversation and stride. Within a few miles she pulled away from me and I let her go knowing it was too early in the race for me to chase.
My patience did work out as once I again I had her in my sights and started running with her again. At some point I passed her and lead the downhill and then suddenly heard a quick stumble and then a loud thud off the trail and into the woods. Sally had tripped, fallen and crashed hard. I stopped and turned back to check on her, but she wanted none of that, she jumped up and we keep running like it didn't happen. Run we did, so quickly that we both were surprised when we arrived so quickly at the first aid station at mile 12.2.
I topped off my pack and poured a bit of water over my head and left the station. It was now 16.8 miles until I saw my crew for the first time. I made my way up the gentle trail and felt like the temperature was creeping up. I caught up on runners in front of me as runners behind me also caught up to me. We were bunched up and the sorting process began once again. Back in a canyon we made our way down steep loose slopes across streams and then up the other side, aided by a rope on the steepest of sections.
Photo Credit: Anastasia Wilde (AW)
As everyone sorted out and dispersed, Sally and I once again found ourselves together which made my day. She and I have been racing for years and years and I have always enjoyed when our paths cross. She is a true joy and inspiration. We caught up on conversation and took turns leading and following. There were also points where we questioned each other “Do we walk this?” We took in the views and tried to comically identify peaks and before we knew it arrived at the Windy Ridge aid station where we both had crew.
Photo Credit: (SA)
Windy Ridge (Mile 29) to Coldwater Lake (Mile 45.2)
Jack and Kirsten were my first two team members that were crewing for me. Jack Pilla and I started running together over twenty years ago, needless to say he knows me very well. Kirsten Workman and I met just a few years ago, but she is the type of friend that will drop anything to at any time of day to support. They were both all cheers and smiles when they saw me coming down the road. They had a chair set up for me and were ready to refresh my hydration and fuel. Jack helped me change shoes as I swapped into the Ultra Trail Max and socks as Kirsten emptied my pack so I could start fresh. My nutrition plan was to run largely on two UnTapped products that are still in development. For drink mix, I was using Grape Mapleaid, which I had requested UnTapped try as a future product. For gels I was using Chai UnTappeds in bulk flasks, which is a variety that just a month or two prior to the race was created by UnTapped’s intern Emma. I am not a big chai fan but I had been training with this and enjoying it immensely. With a freshly loaded Salomon Advanced Skin 12 pack I was ready to go.
Or so I thought! Before I left the station Jack and Kirsten handed me a bowl of potatoes and told me to eat. I ate about a third of the baked potato and then walked away before they could insist I have more. I began walking the gradual uphill slope while trying to get my mouth full of potato into my stomach. Since it was an out and back, I had seen Mika as I came down the hill and I approximated that she had 3-4 minutes on me. My walk became a run as I felt like the gradual incline was somewhere that I could maybe pull some time back, while also putting some time on those behind me.
The name Windy Ridge was spot on as the strong wind was helping my temperature stay regulated. The terrain was very exposed, but had epic views of Mount Saint Helens and the path of the volcano eruption that happened in 1980. I was so fascinated that the scars of the eruption were still visible forty plus years later.
At this point in the race the forty-mile course and the two hundred mile course split. Now the field felt much more spread out. Making a left hand turn I left the gravel road out-and-back section. There were lots of small ascents and descents and I kept looking ahead for someone to help me motivate to keep pace. I was feeling flat. With no one in sight I started looking over my shoulder to see if anyone was hunting me down. It was just me. The ball was in my court. Was I going to meander or keep myself moving forward with purpose?
I reminded myself that I would have a pacer joining me as soon as I got to the Coldwater Lake aid station. That became my motivation to keep moving along. Several miles passed and as I made my way through the dry trail and sand dunes, I could see a male runner not too far ahead of me. I was patient and slowly made-up ground on him before settling in right behind him. It was Wes Ritner who was going for his 5th finish on this course. Running behind him I noticed his pace and effort were very consistent. I literally ate his dust for several miles before he pulled over to dig something out of his pack. I passed him right before the Johnston Ridge Observatory, which felt desolate. After making my way through the observatory parking lot and down a short stint of pavement I then enjoyed making quick work on the mostly downhill trail into Coldwater Lake.
Photo Credit: Kirsten Workman